2 replies to this topic

[r06ue1]

My Major NCN went down (0.052% to 0.036%) but my IS went up (0.033% to 0.053%).  I had always been using the IS scale and asked my new Oncologist about this and he said that he uses the NCN (previous Oncologist used the IS).  I'm thinking the lab screwed up but just want to confirm and if anyone has the equation for converting NCN to IS, post it here and I'll try the conversion out myself.  

 

On a side note, on my results it shows a section labeled Methodology and shows M-bcr (b2a2 and b3a2) or m-bcr (e1a2); my Minor NCN has been ND for the last four tests but was 0.001% and 0.014% (at diagnosis), does this mean that I have the e1a2 minor breakpoint?  

 

Thanks

[Trey]

Each lab has its own conversion to IS, so you would need to ask for that.  

 

NCN (normalized copy number) is just a ratio of raw PCR BCR-ABL to the control gene from that same PCR test, usually ABL.  This is not the same as your question about IS conversion.  All PCRs use a control gene, and all results should be given to the patient as a percentage ratio of total bcr-abl to that control gene.  It is the only way PCRs become a percentage.  The IS conversion takes that PCR percentage of BCR-ABL/ABL and then uses a conversion algorithm based on the average results from patients at that lab during a specific period of time. 

 

The real answer to your question is someone did something different (changed labs, changed algorithm, changed whatever), or else simply screwed up. 

[r06ue1]

Thanks Trey

 

It was the same lab